how to horse ride

What do I need when I go horse riding to look stylish? I used to do riding lessons, so I know the basics, but how can I look nice when I ride? What boots? Joddies or breeches? Thanks! Links are appreciated!

Ariat tall boots (everyone wears them n in the horse world they are really "in")

On course riding pants (i just got a pair and i LOVE them)
or
Eq riding pants
or
Ariat riding pants (jods or breeches work…try to get a schooling pant that streches a little and is soter than a show pant)
dont be afraid to get riding pants in cool colors like chocolate brown, black, and dark green those colors are in right now as well as baige

get a charles owen helmet (they can get pricy..just warning u…so unless ur really serious about riding u shouldent get one)

or international helmet black velvet of course!

wear a polo shirt preferably ralf lauren but if not then ariat makes some nice polo shirts as well as many other brands. even abercrombie and fitch makes a nice polo

if you dont want to get a polo shirt then wear a sugar lips tank top they are soft and really stylish.

get some sort of bit jewlery like a ring that has a bit on it or even a bit necklace thats not too big and relatively simple (not too fancy) you can find one at a tack shop almost anywhere.

thats about it good luck!=)

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I really want to take horse riding lessons but my mother keeps telling me that it is dangerous and I can become paralyzed. She told me about how Christopher Reeve (the guy that played Superman in the original movies) became paralyzed from horseback riding (but she didn’t exactly explain how it happened.) She said that I can still take lessons if I want to but it’s not going to be her fault if I get hurt. I know that there are always risks with any type of sport or activity such as cheerleading or gymnastics, but does horseback riding have a greater risk of injury?

Horse-riding will always be a dangerous sport, there’s no skirting that fact. However, the chance of you actually getting injured beyond a bruise or two, if you take the right safety precautions, is very low. I rode horses for about eight years and the worst I ever got was one broken arm, and that was particularly bad. Christopher Reeve’s case was so amazingly rare it isn’t even funny. There are lots of different factors that contribute to how safe you are on a horse, and as long as you take care of them all then your chances of injury are very small.

The first is a helmet. All riding schools will make you wear a helmet, and for good reason. They might cramp your style and give you hat-hair, but if you fall off and bang your head you won’t hurt yourself. You can get some really cool hat-covers from horse shops if your helmet is dirty or ugly and, although it might be a little uncomfortable at first, it soon becomes second nature. Make sure your helmet fits right or it could just come off and be no use at all. Do up your chin strap so you can fit two fingers snugly underneath, then shake your head backwards and forwards. It shouldn’t wobble and you shouldn’t be able to pull it down past your eyebrows. If it starts to give you a headache, that usually means it’s too small. If you fall off and land on your head then it’s time to get a new helmet.

One of the most important factors is the horse itself. Some horses are excellent for experienced riders but not for beginners. Riding schools will usually have a few really quiet horses, often called ’schoolmasters’, that they put beginners on. Schoolmasters are very quiet, obedient horses that do what they’re told and won’t misbehave. Bear in mind that all horses are by nature prey, so if something jumps out at them they will spook. Some horses, called ‘bombproof’, are really good at staying calm, but even bombproof ponies can freak out at some things. But even if your horse does spook, which it mostly shouldn’t in a riding school arena, it often won’t be enough to throw you off.

Another factor is your seat and how you’re riding. Make sure you sit deep in the saddle and lean back slightly. If you’re feeling uncomfortable, your natural reaction will be to lean forwards. Fight it! The more forward your seat is, the more unbalanced you’ll be and when you’re unbalanced it doesn’t take a lot to tip you off. Put the balls of your feet on the stirrup bars and keep your heels down. Try to wear shoes that have a heel (such as riding boots), not trainers. If your foot slips too far into the stirrup and you fall off, your foot might get caught and you could be dragged along. Keep a firm grip on the reins (some people wear grippy gloves, but this is optional), not enough to hurt the horse’s mouth but enough to stay in control and in contact with your horse.

Tack is also important. In case you don’t know, the tack is what you put on a horse to ride it, like the saddle and bridle. Your riding school should help you put the tack on or tack up for you (I suggest at least watching so you know what to do. If you really enjoy horse-riding and end up getting your own horse, it’s essential that you know how to tack up by yourself). The girth, which is the big thick strap that goes around your horse’s belly to hold the saddle on, should be as tight as possible. It won’t hurt them; pull it as tight as you can. The saddle should sit just behind the horse’s shoulder blades. The throat strap, which is the part of the bridle that goes around the horse’s cheeks, should be tight enough to fit four fingers under but no looser. Some people leave their horse’s throat strap so loose it hangs down over the noseband; if it’s like this, it isn’t stopping the bridle from slipping off. All the tack should be clean and oiled, but the riding stable should do that in between lessons.

The rest is just common sense. Don’t run up behind a horse if it doesn’t know you’re there. Don’t make any sudden noises, such as screaming. Horses are particularly sensitive about their hindquarters, so don’t approach a horse from behind or ride your horse too close behind another one. The golden rule: STAY RELAXED. Even if you’re terrified, try and keep your seat relaxed and your signals calm. Your horse can sense if you’re upset. They’ll either think there’s something to be scared of or realise they can take advantage of you. Remember, you’re riding a real creature, not a car or motorbike. Horses can sense your feelings and have detailed personalities of their own. A horse can be more than your mount – it can be your best friend.

If you follow your riding teacher’s instructions and stay aware of what’s going on, horse riding can be very safe. It shouldn’t be much more dangerous than cheerleading or gymnastics. Your pony won’t intentionally try to hurt you or throw you off. My horse once slipped on some wet grass and I fell off into a ditch, and he almost fell over trying to avoid stepping on me. I’ve seen loads of people fall off and done it at least twenty times myself, and it isn’t that bad. Ninety-nine percent of the time, all you get is a few bruises. Hell, it can sometimes be fun (but don’t try it unless you have to!) If you do fall off, it’s extremely important to get straight back in the saddle. If you go home and dwell on it, it’ll be a hundred times harder to go back and try again. Riding can be scary, but for me, that was what made riding fun. It gives you an adrenaline rush, an exciting hobby and a great friend in your horse. With any sport, there are risks. I think the risks are more than worth it.

Good luck!

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How much is it if you would like to board your horse?
Do you ride in the winter or just summer spring and fall?
Are the lessons good?
Do they take good care of your horse if you board?
George school is a day or boarding private school in new town. My sister goes there and I might to. I would need to be able to board my horse there and was wondering these questions about it. If you go to george school or used to please help. Thanks!

How much is it if you would like to board your horse?
Do you ride in the winter or just summer spring and fall?
Are the lessons good?
Do they take good care of your horse if you board?

What is the George school? You do realize, that this is an international forum?

Not much chance of answering your questions if we don’t know what you’re even talking about.

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Hi,
When I horse-ride, especially when I canter, my instructor says I lean to the left: with my seat bones, and I turn with my shoulders to the left as well, AND tilt my head to the left, especially when i go round corners, in fact, very much when I go round corners. And, my right seat bone comes up cause I don’t have any weight on it… basically I lean all to the left, especially round corners, and is this maybe because I am left-handed???

How do I stop this?

Ask your trainer ,,
WE can not, see you ride
this is really a question for your trainer,, I would like to help you
But, no one can really tell you with out seeing you ride
And no its not because your left handed,,

Hey your paying your trainer have her tell you ..
Good luck

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Please help it needs to be a quick solution i have Preparation H ointment… do you think it will work ? How about padding or something ..?

u should use whatever u have to treat it but i think before u do that u should soak in some warm water for a little while, that always helps with sore places. Maybe instead of showers @ night u should take a long bath. U might feel a whole lot better seeing that u ride horses an all!!!Let me no how it works out. {I like horses 2!!!}

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I went horse riding on monday for the first time in my life.I was wondering how to tell a horse to stop,How to get it to go,And how do you get off and on.leaft,right turning trotting….sorry i”m just really excited oh and what is the avrige life span of a mediam sized horse female.

I’m just wondering becouse i MIGHT (afther july)go to horse riding lessions

And again thank you.

Thank you.

Hi – well good luck horse riding is the best – you have chosen the right sport (maybe you might even get your own horse! (: ) (how old are you by the way?)

Yeah you should be very very excited!!!!

TIP:
Really be enthusiastic about taking every persons advice on this question into your riding lessons and acknowledge that some trainers are extremely different and also different riding schools have different horses, trainers and people around.

OK, this is all from my experience (i have been riding my horses since i can remember… im 13 … and my mum trained all of our horses and me! So dont be put off if someone elses advice is totally different because i am just trying to help in my little way!!)

Well definatly first you should think about the correct position, dont worry, it will take you ages to get a comfortable position (it literally took me years on my horses!!):

You should sit in the lowest part of the saddle, allowing the hips to open and for the legs to move back and lie gently around the horse so that the heel of the foot is directly in line with the hips. The ball of each foot should rest on the strirrup iron with the toes pointing fowards and the heels pointing down.

The upper body should remain straight but not stiff with the head looking foward. It should be possible to draw a straight line from the shoulder to the hip to the foot of the rider. The upper arm should rest by the body with the elbows bent, allowing the forearms to become an extension of the reins.

To hold the reins correctly, face your hand face down with your fingers pointing towards the horse’s neck, place your little finger under the rein and the other fingers over the rein and the thumb underneath. Curl your fingers around the rein and then turn your hand so your thumb is on top and your knuckles are facing foward.

It may be difficult to maintain this position at first, especially once moving and you may find that your legs creep forward, or you may be tempted to grip with your knees if you feel unbalanced. I would advise you too though as horses can sense tension in you, they can feel muscle tension and they can sense your heart rate (if it is fast then they will be spooked)

THE WALK:
The walk is a "four step gait". This means that the horse moves each leg in turn and places all four legs on the ground individually. To ask a horse to walk you squeeze gently with your lower legs and once the horse starts to move forward your legs should be relaxed. Some horses may not be as responsive as others and may need a small, gentle kick with both heels to move foward. If, whilst walking, the horse starts to falter a soft squeeze with the lower legs will persuade it to continue. ALSO: do not kick the Horse persistantly as it could get adgitated and not respond the way you would like it!

As the horse walks you will also see that it moves its head backwards and forwards in a nodding motion. To allow for this you should keep your arms relaxed so that you can allow your hands to move forwards and back with the movement of the horse’s head. By moving your hands with the movement of the horse’s head you can maintain the same tightness of rein (known as "contact") throughout without restricting the horse’s natural movement.

THE TROT:
Once a horse is walking the aids for the trot are the same as for the walk. To ask a horse to trot you squeeze gently with your lower legs. The pressure applied should be greater than that applied just to keep the horse walking forward and so may require a gentle kick with your heels.

The trot is a "two step gait". This means that the horse moves its legs in pairs. It actually moves its legs in diagonal pairs, that is it lifts the left front (near fore) and right back (off hind) legs together and the right front (off fore) and left back (near hind) together. As with the walk you can feel the body sway from side to side as each hind leg is lifted and moved forward.

Unlike the walk, the horse does not move its head forwards and backwards in the trot and so your hands can remain in the same position without restricting the horse’s movement. The trot can be ridden in two ways: sitting and rising. Rising Trot, once learnt, is easier and more comfortable for both the horse and the rider. (Rather than thinking of rising you should think of pushing your hips upwards and forwards in a gentle "thrusting" movement). However, it can take a lesson or two to pick it up so don’t expect to learn it straight away!!!

BEWARE!:
Sitting trot although it may seem easier can be equally hard, if not harder, to learn. Due to the horse’s bouncy stride in trot there is a tendency for the rider to become tense which results in the rider being bounced even more. The main thing with sitting trot is to try and relax, keep the legs relaxed and keep your back soft and relaxed. The more relaxed the rider, the less bouncy the trot feels. Relaxation in sitting trot will come with experience and confid

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Just wondering if any one could advise about how I would go about helping my daughter get into horse riding, she is only 4 but wants to learn to ride. Any advice about costs time involved and whether or not we get our own horse would be appreciated.
Thanx
Thanx for all your answers (well most of them anyway!) I have just spoken to a lady that says she can go and meet her ponies and feed them and get used to being with them and it will only be £8 a week so I think I might get her started with that and see how she goes.

hi Mel – first off 4 is a great age to start her off at – the younger they are the less fear they have of these things and you’d be surprised how smallies can adapt!!
I think the best thing you can do is visit local riding schools and watch how the instructors teach the kids and how good the interaction is between them. Most reputable riding schools will have no problem with you watching lessons.
Costs – here in Ireland vary between €10-20 per hour lesson – I find it may be more beneficial to go for a middle ranging price bracket. Time involved will depend on how many hours a week you take lessons – at 4 shes a bit young to be left above to help muck in with horsey tasks – so it should only be an hour or so a week.
With regarding buying a pony – theres no point until you know your daughter likes it – and also you’ll have to bear the majority of responsibilities like mucking out – worming – feeding – rugging up and down etc – which costs ALOT!!! (remember farrier and vets costs too!) For now – Id stick with just getting her lessons!
xx

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Im reallyintrested in horse riding, ive been a couple of months ago when i was on holiday. theres a local horse riding centre near where i live and i would love t start riding but think im too old to start learning? All the other people who ive talked to and read about have been riding since they were really young. Do you thinkid get funny looks from the trainers?

You are never too old to learn. Think on this the 2005 World Champion Bull Dogger won the world at the age of 23, and he never even got on a horse till he was 18. You never know where it will lead you. Go for it.

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